Earle h



(No Model.)

E.- H. SMITH.

SEWING MACHINE.

No. 418,820. Patented Jam 7, 1890.

Fig.1.

PATENT OFFICE.

EARLE H. SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,820, dated January 7, 1890. Application filed November 16, 1888. serial No. 291,032. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARLE H. SMITH, of the city, county, and State of New York, have inyented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, whereof the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to machines wherein the movements of the parts beneath the bedplate are transmitted from a horizontal main shaft in an overhanging arm through a vertical shaft in the bracket-arm post.

The improvements are illustrated in the annexed drawings, which show that form or style of machine that employs the horizontal shaft geared to a vertical shaft by bevelwheels; but in some forms of my invention other connections or gearing may be substituted for such-wheels.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bed-plate and the overhanging or bracket arm and post, partly in section. Fig.

the vertical shaft by means such as a collar q, (dotted in Fig. 1,) fixed on the shaft and resting as it revolves onsome fixed part of the machine, as indicated in that figure. This plan I reject, and adopt one giving far less friction. It consists in having a journal formed at the extreme lower end of the shaft and providing a bearing therefor beneath the shaft. Such abearing is seen in the bracket or hanger G, affixed to the bed-plate. For the best effect, the end of the shaft is made to rest on 'a pointcentral to the shaft, which point may be made on the shaft, as indicated in Fig. 1, and revolve; or it may be formed on a set-screw d and be stationary, as seen in Fig. 4. This arrangement dispenses with the collar q aforesaid and all its attendant friction-a great desideratumfor not only is the friction considerable from the weightof the extremities need be used.

shaft, but in machines where the bevel-gears are used, as b c, the friction is enhanced by the downward thrust received by the vertical shaft from the action of such bevel-wheels a thrust which increases with the increase of speed. As here contrived all this comes on a mere point central to the shaft.

I have also devised means for reducing friction at the upper end of the vertical shaft. Heretofore it has been customary to place the upper bearing of this shaft belowthe laboring-pointthat is, below the place where the power and motion are received from the horizontal shaft. (Represented here by the j unction of the bevel-wheels b 0.) Instead I place the'bearing above and at the very end of the shaft, providing a block a, therefor. By thus disposing the upper bearing above the laboring-point such bearing, if a journal,- as shown in Fig. 3, may be reduced to half. the usual size, or it may be displaced altogether for a simple point or center, as in Fig. 1. By these means the friction of the upper bearing is reduced almost to nothing.

In practice the block a is cast in the arm 0 and bored out slightly larger than the shaft D, which passes freely through it above the bearing of the vertical shaft. In some cases a small journal, like that shown in Fig. 3 for the upper end, may be used for the lower extremity instead of the center bearing d, in which case no other bearing than those at the At the lower end, below the bed, the said shaft E carries an eccentric H, (or crank,) placed above the supporting-bracket G, which eccentric is encircled by a follower I, having such connecting -devieesas to give a vibrating movement to a shuttle-lever by the reciprocating motion imparted to such connection by said eccentric. At the same time the lateral motion isutilized for operating a feeding device, whereby all-1 the active movements of the parts beneath the bed are obtained from a single eccentric or crank. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the said connections. consists of a horizontal bar 1, formed in one with the-follower I. Said follower-bar receives a reciprocating motion. longitudinally from the eccentric through the said follower, and also a lateral or sideto-side movement therefrom. It is arranged to slide over an ordinary fulcrum-pin F, as

usually attached to a stitch-regulator N in the ordinary way, whereby a vibrating inotion 15 given to the front end, where it engages the feed-bar S, to move it back and forth. Said bar J is also furnished with an inclined surface J, to raise and drop the feed, thus producing the required four motions.

O is a horizontally-moving shuttle-lever, having at the free end the usual cradle K,for holding the shuttle 7* and driving it back and forth. The movement of this lever O is derived from the same bar that works the feed. For this purpose the horizontal shuttle-lever O has a short side arm P, formed in one therewith, which arm is connected with the bar J in such manner as to allow freedom of lateral motion of such bar. In this instance it is provided with a wrist-pin f, set therein. The short arm P is forked at the end, and the pin works in a block L between the forks, where it is free to slide laterally as to the shuttle-lever 0. Such block also oscillates on said wrist-pin f. The side-to-side motion of this bar in operation moves said wrist nearest the fulcrum of the lever 0 when driving the shuttle forward, and further from the fulcrum when driving it back, causing the shuttle to advance quickly into the loop and return more slowly, a feature that allows a more equalized movement of the needle than otherwise, and thus easing the movement of the machine, and in practice it is best to have the needle rise slowly durin the forward movement of the shuttle.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention embraces a construction of sewingmachines wherein avertical shaft is sustained by end bearings above and below the upper and lower laboring-points, which bearings receive the end-thrust and other strains at their extremities. By vertical shaft is meant an operative member having rotary motion around a vertical axis and performing the duty of conveying motion and power from the main shaft above to the mechanism below the bed.

The improvements described are susceptible of modification within the inventionfor instance, a crank may be substituted, as indicated in Fig. 4, for the eccentric shown in Fig. 1 with the same effect. In that figure, R is a wing fixed to the crank reaching to the axis-line of the shaft E, and the center bearing, as of the pointed screw d, is in the said wing instead of the end of the shaft. A checknut c prevents the screw (1 from becoming loose and turning accidentally.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a sewing-machine having the horizontal main shaft in the bracket-arm and a horizontal shuttle-lever and feedbar beneath the bed, of a vertical shaft receiving rotary motion from the former shaft by miter-wheels for operating all the parts below,and provided with a fixed support under its lower end to take the downward thrust. of the miter-wheels and concentrate the same upon a center point.

2. The combination, with a sewing-machine having the main horizontal shaft in the bracket-arm geared to a vertical shaft by miterwheels, of a pillow-block (L in the bracketrarm, furnishing the bearing of the upper journal of the vertical shaft, such bearing being at the extreme upper end above the laboringpoint and under the main shaft, as set forth.

3. llhe combination, with a sewing-machine having thehorizontal main shaft in the bracket-arm and the shuttle and feed beneath the bed, of a single rotary shaft in the arm-post, receiving motion from the former shaft by miter-wheels for operating all the parts below, provided with an upper bearing placed at the extreme upper end above the laboringpoint, as described, and a fixed central support under the lower end, for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the vertical rotary shaft, the feed-bar, and the shuttle-lever having a side arm thereon, of the followerbar I .T at one end embracing an eccentric on the said vertical shaft, at the other end engaging the feed-bar, and between the ends having a wrist-pin connecting with the shuttle-lever by the side arm thereof.

5. In combination, the vertical shaft E, means connecting with and operating the same, the eccentric thereon, the shuttle-1e ver having a side arm P, and the follower-barI J, embracing the eccentric and having a wrist pin f, connecting with the arm P of the shuttle-lever, such follower-bar receiving from said eccentric a longitudinal movement for vibrating the shuttle-lever, and also a sideto-sidc motion, whereby said wrist is carried toward and away from the shuttle-lever fulcrum, thus moving the shuttle faster in the forward than in the backward or returned movement.

EARLE H. SMITH.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES M. TULLY,

lrnonon IIASELTINE.

ICC 

